9.03.2010

parlez vous français?

Lumières! (lights)

PARIS. Now, how to go about explaining Paris without rambling on and on for 800 paragraphs. This will definitely not be an easy feat. I'll keep the sentences brief. So, Paris. City of lights. Center of all things fashion. Stoic natives. Obviously it's a little more complex than that, but let's face it, anyone who's been there could go on forever. I would highly recommend this trip for any foodies, fashion fanatics, art freaks, etc. Everything about this city is just magnificent in beauty, from the stylish clothes, impressive architecture, and even the people themselves. The one downside: it's a real diet buster. When your breakfast consists of "pain au chocolat" (chocolate bread) and a capuccino, it doesn't exactly bode well for the rest of the day nutrition-wise (however, you certainly won't be lacking in the physical energy department for quite some time.) But trust me, every bite was well worth it. And I do think that the outrageous amount of walking we did compensated for that! My words when I returned to New York: "Ugh, everyone here speaks English." I would say that that was a HIGHLY successful trip! Quite possibly my favorite one ever.

Rue de...something?

So how does one go about covering an entire city filled with breathtaking sights in just one short week? Surely not with ease (or blister-free feet). My family and I attempted to cover as much ground as possible. We managed to see most of the paramount sites that Paris has to offer: the Eiffel Tower, the Arc (and "Farc") de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées, and the Louvre to name a few. I was especially glad that we got to see the Eiffel Tower during the day as well as at night. As you may or may not know, there's a light show that takes place at the Eiffel Tower at the beginning of every hour. While not at all lengthy, it really is a spectacular spectacle (that was how we celebrated the last night of our very lovely vacation)!

La Tour Eiffel: me and the "broski".

"Farc" de Triomphe.

Arc de Triomphe.

If you're reading this and you happen to be a lover of art and have not yet been to the Louvre, I sincerely think that you should get there as soon as humanly possible because it is truly unlike any pieces of art I have ever seen before. But no one, no matter how long they stay at the museum for, could ever dream of seeing everything there is to see there in one day. It just can't be done. One of the best things about it is that picture taking is, in fact, allowed (but no flash, ladies and gentlemen). And it is also the home of the world famous "Venus de Milo" and the "Mona Lisa", or La Joconde. It is far smaller in person than one would imagine, yet it is still guarded with the help of a large glass case as well as museum security. And in addition to that, you're only permitted to stand about 15 feet away from the painting. I was also expressing how bad I felt for the other paintings sharing a room with the Mona Lisa; they probably get little to no attention at all (maybe that's why they put a 30 foot mural on the wall opposite).

Another fantastic museum we visited was the Musée d'Orsay. The paintings were all executed meticulously and beautifully (as most other things in Paris are done). And the museum itself looks far smaller from the outside than it actually is on the inside (it kind of reminded me of that scene in Harry Potter with the little tent that turned out to be a full suite on the inside). If you're looking for something a little less, oh I don't know, time-consuming than the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay is "très magnifique"!

The Musée d'Orsay.

The show-stealing "Mona Lisa".

"Venus de Milo".

Some of the greatest things about coming to Paris in the summer are the stunning parks that are constantly at your disposal. One of my favorites was the "Jardin du Luxembourg". With its lush gardens, picturesque fountains, and luxurious palace, it was the perfect place to sit, relax, and "get your bearings" (as my dad would say). Oh, and something I found somewhat funny there. I couldn't help but notice the smattering of security guards that were placed all around the palace to ensure that no criminals could enter the building. That kind of indicates that that was once a little bit of a problem. Now, what I wish I had done was rent one of the sailboats that people were racing in the fountains!

Palace at Luxembourg.

The beautiful "jardin".

crêpe stand!

One final attraction. The palace at Versailles. Let's just say we were very adventurous while we were there. There's a pond in the back of the palace where you can rent a canoe and paddle around for a while. So it was just a little embarassing when we went in ours and ended up pressed against the side of the pond! I suppose I'm still glad that we did it though, and finished in [more or less] one piece. As for the palace itself. BREATHTAKING. That King Louis had quite the setup.

Boating fail.

Gardens of Versailles.

Le palais.

Entrée (entrance) to the palace at Versailles.

Oh, and before I end this. If you're planning a trip to Paris anytime in the near future, feel free to buy an extra plane ticket. I promise I'll pay you back. Au revoir! :)